A Vision for Africa: Advancing Widows’ Rights by Roseline Orwa

Roseline Orwa, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economy Equity, is a Kenyan champion for widows. A widow herself, she shares her insights into the stigma faced by many and the progress that still needs to be made.

Widows in Africa have long faced discrimination and marginalization, which is detrimental to their economic, social and political well-being. In Kenya, widowhood is particularly challenging, with widows facing cultural practices and traditions that perpetuate discrimination and limit their access to resources and opportunities. However, there is hope for advancing widows’ rights.

I founded the Rona Foundation in 2008, an organization that provides education and training for widows to support them in becoming more self-sufficient economically. The foundation also advocates for widows' rights and works with policymakers to push for gender-based policies that support widows. Our work is a testament to the resilience and strength of widows in Africa and our efforts are yielding promising results.

Kenya has made significant progress in advancing widows’ rights, particularly through policy interventions. In 2010, the Kenyan government passed the Matrimonial Property Act, which recognizes women's rights to marital property upon divorce or widowhood. The act provides a legal framework for women to claim their rightful share of marital property, which includes land, a crucial mainstay for a widow’s livelihood.?

In addition, Kenya has introduced other policy interventions that aim to promote gender equality and women's rights. In 2011, the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) was established. The commission has been instrumental in advocating for the rights of women, including widows, and has pushed for gender-sensitive policies and programs that support widows' economic and social integration. These policies are a significant milestone toward ending the sin of omission experienced by widows in Kenya and provide a legal avenue for widows to claim their property rights.?

Even so, the culturalization and religionizing of gender violence as social norms remains, with many widows left destitute.?

In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution that recognizes the human rights of widows and calls for their protection and empowerment. The resolution highlights the urgent need to address the systemic discrimination and harmful traditional practices faced by widows. This resolution provides a clear framework for countries to develop policies and programs that protect and empower widows.?

Our foundation’s work and the existing policy interventions in Kenya, like the recently adopted Widows Charter in Siaya county, the Matrimonial Property Act and the NGEC, provide glimmers of hope for the widows' cause in Africa. By building on these interventions and working collectively toward implementing the UN Widowhood Resolution, African countries can create a more just and equitable society for widows.

Our vision for Africa is the implementation of this resolution, which requires collective action and policymakers, civil society organizations and communities to work together to address the systemic challenges faced every day by widows.?